Ohio Repair Request Letter to Landlord
A free Ohio repair request letter to landlord that follows Ohio law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What Ohio law says
| Repair and deduct | No statutory repair-and-deduct remedy. Ohio's statutory repair remedy is rent escrow with the court (see rent_withholding), a court order to repair or reduce rent, or termination of the rental agreement. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.07 |
|---|---|
| Withholding rent | Withholding rent directly is not authorized; instead, a tenant who is current on rent may deposit rent with the clerk of the municipal or county court (rent escrow) after giving the landlord written notice of the problem and the landlord fails to fix it within a reasonable time or 30 days, whichever is sooner. Tenant may also ask the court to order repairs, reduce rent, or release escrowed rent for repairs. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.07(B) |
| Landlord retaliation | Landlord may not raise rent, reduce services, or bring/threaten an eviction action because the tenant complained to a government agency about a code violation materially affecting health and safety, complained to the landlord about a § 5321.04 violation, or joined with other tenants to negotiate with the landlord. Tenant may use retaliation as a defense, recover possession or terminate, and recover actual damages and attorney's fees. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.02 |
| Heat | Yes. The landlord must supply 'reasonable heat at all times' and keep landlord-supplied heating fixtures in good and safe working order, except where the building is not required by law to be equipped for heat or heat is generated by an installation in the tenant's exclusive control on a direct utility connection. No statewide minimum temperature or heating season. |
| Mold | No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. Ohio has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; the landlord must comply with building, housing, health and safety codes and 'do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.' |
Fill in your letter
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To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], tenant at [rental address]
I am asking you to repair the following problems at my rental: [describe each problem, where it is, and when it started].
I first reported this on [date first reported] by [phone, text, email, portal or letter].
Please make these repairs by [date]. You may enter to make repairs after giving the notice required by law; times that work for me: [access times].
Ohio law protects tenants from retaliation for asking for repairs (Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.02).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
Repair Request Letter to Landlord templates for other states · All Ohio landlord-tenant rules · Free legal help in Ohio
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.